File photo of Shahrukh Khan with his son Aryan. Photo source: Bollywoodlife.com
By Venkatesh Raghavan
Mumbai: A crack team of Narcotics Control Bureau swooping on a rave party on board a cruise ship in the high seas between Mumbai and Panaji on Saturday (October 2, 2021) evening has sent the cream of the film fraternity into a daze as those detained by the nodal agency included Bollywood super star Shah Rukh Khan’s eldest son, Aryan Khan.
Refuting claims that Aryan has been arrested by the Mumbai wing of the Narcotic Control Bureau, the NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede, said, Aryan is being questioned about a rave party that was held on board a cruise ship on Saturday, October 2. However, technically, Aryan has neither been booked nor arrested in connection with the case. Earlier, reports poured in that Aryan and two others were taken in for questioning by the NCB after its officers raided a cruise ship that was headed towards Goa. The officers who raided the ship on Saturday reportedly bust a rave party, meaning partying by usage of heavy narcotic drugs.
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NCB sources however, said, “We will seek police custody of those who have been taken in for questioning as we want to further investigate on the source and methods of narcotic drug supplies.” The said ship belongs to the Cordelia cruises tourism firm. Its CEO spelt out that his cruise liner had nothing to do with the drug bust case. We focus on providing wholesome entertainment to our clients. We by no means have anything to do with the supply of such substances.” The drugs seized from the rave party included cocaine, hashish and MD. The questioning process is going on in the Mumbai NCB office premise and Aryan and his two friends are likely to be taken for a medical examination, the officers reported.
Meanwhile, a worried father Shah Rukh Khan has cancelled his overseas trip to Spain in the wake of this family crisis. It was reported that the super star was seeking a minute-by-minute account of Aryan’s interrogation by the NCB. Shah Rukh was slated to fly to Spain for the shoot of a forthcoming film named “Pathan”. Shah Rukh’s wife Gauri too is deeply upset and has cancelled her overseas trip in order to fulfil an interior design project.
The NCB team cracked down on the cruise ship after it took off from the shores of Mumbai and entered the high seas. The crackdown took place after the sleuths acted on a tipoff received by zonal director Sameer Wankhede. Earlier, the crack team boarded the cruise ship at Mumbai posing as passengers. The officers who were in wait acted soon after the rave party was well under way, NCB sources reported.
Media reports also informed that it’s highly unlikely for any press statement forthcoming from family members as of now. The incident has also sent a flutter around film circles, meaning families of the film fraternity. At the time of going to press, the detention and questioning of Aryan and two others was still continuing.
